Thursday, 8 November 2012

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We are so extremely excited to have with us today the talented Keri Arthur. Her RILEY JENSON series has been one of my favorite series, one that I loved and devoured and she's been writing some kick ass books ever since! Her new series DARK ANGELS, which is loosely a spin-off of the Riley series, is one not to be missed. Here to celebrate the recent release of the fourth book in the series, DARKNESS HUNTS...please welcome Keri to UTC!

Can you please introduce yourself for those readers who are
just discovering your books?

Well, I’m Keri Arthur, the author of both the Riley Jenson,
Guardian series, and the Dark Angels series. I’m an Aussie, live in Melbourne
(the place where both stories are set), and I’m a former function and dessert
chef. I’m also addicted to green tea and dark chocolate<g>

Your Dark Angels series is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series out there
right now. How did you come up the idea for this series?

It grew out of the Riley Jenson series. Risa first appeared
in Tempting Evil (the 3rd in the series), but she was supposed to be
little more than a baby Riley had to rescue in order to get the information on
the bad guy she was hunting. I hadn’t planned for her to be in any other book,
but in them she was--sometimes you just can’t keep a good character down! By
the time she’d become a toddler who could see death and who had her ‘aunt’
Riley wrapped around her little finger, I knew she just had to have her own
series. And while Quinn’s Aedh background was mentioned in the Riley Jenson
series, I really hadn’t explored who the Aedh were, and what their role as
priests were. The Dark Angel series gave me that chance.

I've loved Risa from the beginning. She's sexy, smart and tough. How would you
say Risa has grown throughout the series?

In many ways, I think she started out somewhat naive and
entirely too trusting. She’d been trained to fight by her aunt and uncle, but wasn’t
really mentally tough. I think she’s becoming that now. She’s certainly
learning trust is something that should be earned, not instantly given.

Azriel is one of the many reasons why I love this series. Risa and Azriel have
incredible chemistry, but cannot really act on their desires. What do you think
Risa sees in Azriel that makes him so desirable and similarly, what do you
think Azriel sees in Risa that makes her desirable?

Tough question! For Azriel, it’s her humanity--her warmth,
her passion for--and belief in--her friends, and her desire to do whatever it
takes to protect those she loves, even if it means putting her own life on the
line (something that also frustrates the hell out of him given he was sent to
protect her). For Risa--I think it’s the strength she finds
when she’s with him--and the fact he is as sexy as hell. ;)

DARKNESS HUNTS steps away from the search to find the keys and focuses on a
more immediate concern where a faceless killer is toying with Risa. What can
readers expect from this book?

Now, you know I can’t answer that without stepping into
spoiler territory. But those who have read the Riley Jenson series can probably
guess the answer given the same question hung over that series. And I am a
believer in happy endings--or at least semi happy ones ;)

The series is set in Australia. How important was having the series take place
in the country you're from?

It’s important in that I live in and love Melbourne, and
it’s so much easier to write a series set in a place I’m familiar with rather
than one I’m not. Plus, I don’t think there were any urban fantasy novels set
here before I wrote the Riley Jenson series, and it’s always nice to have a somewhat
different setting to other novels. Besides, Melbourne is such a great
city--lots of gothic architecture, little laneways, and fabulous cafes.:)

What does a typical work day look like for you? How many
hours do you write a day?

A typical day for me is walking the dogs after breakfast,
then heading off to the gym for a couple of hours exercise. After lunch, I sit
down and write. I generally don’t have a set amount of hours to write, but
rather a required page amount. I aim for 5 pages every day. Sometimes I get
more, sometimes less, but I can generally have the first draft of a book done
in three months.

Do you keep or toss any rejection letters you may have?

Before I was published, I used to screw them up, jump up and
down on them a few times, then toss them in the bin. Made me feel a whole lot
better. Then, after a few days, I’d retrieve them, re-read them, and make a
mental note of all the things I’d been doing wrong:)These days, rejections go through my agent,
so they’re easier to cope with.

What's next for Keri Arthur?

After Darkness Hunts, my next release is the paperback
re-release of Beneath a Darkening Moon. Darkness Unmasked, the next Dark Angels
novel, comes out in June 2013. I’m currently working on Darkness Splintered,
the 6th book.

Well, there you have it! You are now seeing why you HAVE to read everything Keri Arthur has ever written right? Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions!

About the Author - The Unofficial Bio:

I’m a born and bred Melbourne (Australia) gal, and grew up sharing my
life with dragons, elves, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and the
occasional talking horse. Which worried my family to no end. Of course,
now that I’m actually make a living sharing my life with the above
mentioned creatures, they no longer contemplate calling the men with the
little white coat. When not at my keyboard, I can be found at the gym,
sitting front of the TV, or taking my two dogs for a walk.

Risa Jones, half-Aedh/half-werewolf, can enter the realm between life
and death. She can speak to the dying and the dead, and she can see the
Reapers, collectors of souls. What she can not yet see is the identity
of a stranger murdering women and draining their blood. Now Risa must
summon her gifts to find him, even if it means putting her own life in
danger. But Risa needn’t look far. The killer knows who she is.

He tells her his victims are infected by darkness and he’s fated to
destroy them. Fascinated by Risa, he engages her in a sinister game: the
chance to save the life of his next victim by deciphering his series of
clues. In a race against time, she enlists the help of the Reaper
Azriel.

But as an attraction between them grows, so does the fear that the
stranger’s motives are only part of a larger, more dangerous scheme—one
that has lured Risa and Azriel into the dark.

Penguin Group has FIVE (5) copies of DARKNESS HUNTS up for grabs.US ONLY!

There are very few things that we like more than a hot muscular body all wrapped up in a uniform.

Really, what better series to bring you for this giveaway than the KGI. We have a copy of ECHOES AT DAWN up for grabs for the duration of this hop.

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

They live by night.

Grace Peterson
is desperate, in hiding, and on the run after escaping a shadowy group
determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only
lifeline—an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister—has
been severed, leaving her alone and vulnerable. And time is fast running
out...

Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of
the KGI. He’s unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged
woman, and he’s fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly
destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven, and for the first
time...hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has
eluded is fast closing in. And now it’s pitching two lovers toward an
unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.

If there is one thing that I can tell you about this series is that there's a lot of kinky f*ckery and it's hot as hell!!! I was actually very excited about the two male characters in this book, both sexy and kinky hockey players. I can't say the same about the heroine.

We first met Jami as Richter's daughter in the previous book. Very troubled, not accepting of his father's life and choices, and to put it simply...a rebel. Although for most of this book I thought she was doing a lot better, incredibly so, I find that her HEA would've benefited from being written later in the series. Why? Because I still found her a bit immature and whiny at times and I think that's because of her age and that she just came out of what happened to her in the previous book.

That being said, I would've gladly taken her place! She has great chemistry with both Luke and Sebastian individually. I always love when authors take their time to develop the individual relationships in a permanent menage relationship. And Ms. Sommerland always delivers on that! And just how they each have a relationship with Jami, which is the reason they all come together, there is also a beautiful and deep relationship between Luke and Sebastian. I was left wondering if Sebastian's connection to Luke wasn't too strong and overpowering of his love for Jami. But I guess the balance was there most of the time.

Sebastian is all tall, dark and Dom. This is THE man that will leave you biting your lip and panting for more. His presence is commanding but he's also very caring of those he loves and others that have gone through what he has.

Luke was the lost soul in this story, which made me sad because I never thought that's where his character would fall to. I've always seen him as the happy and good humored one of the bunch. I have to admit when he first did his scene with Chicklet I almost wanted to see them explore that relationship because it was pretty hot. Luke is a Dom but he also needs to give up control. Sebastian fit into that perfectly and it was very real to see them, especially Luke, struggle with what his mind and body where saying.

Then there's the rest of the crew! Silver is pregnant and even gives birth in this book and that was just great to see. Sloan is also going through stuff in his personal life and even his relationship, so some of their issues come back to be dealt with. I love to see the new and old always woven in the story because we want to know what's going on in their lives.

Overall, this BDSM book is not for the faint of heart. It'll make you tingle in ways you didn't think were possible! I can't wait for the next installment about the kinkiest hockey team EVER!

Mina Roarke is in mourning over the loss of her mother, her only family member. Having been brought up in the Pacific Northwest believing she had no one left but her friend Chloe she is distraught. When she finds letters written from her presumed dead father to her mother, she is stunned enough to travel to Germany to attempt to find something out about the man who took no part in her life. At Chloe's coaxing, Mina takes the journey. What she discovers on her travels rocks her very existence.

When Mathias, a very tall dark and sexy shifter of a race called the Coteri, is sent by Roderick, Mina's father and King of the secret shifter Coteri race, to protect her, sparks fly between the bodyguard and his charge. As Roderick's trusted General, Mathias is entrusted with protecting Mina with his own life if necessary, but protecting her means staying close to her and that proves dangerous. Aside from the Coteri being unknown to the human race, they have enemies, namely a former Coteri , Valencia and her demented son Luca, who belong to the Valta, the nemesis of the Coteri who's ultimate goal is to rule over humanity, not co-exist with it as the Coteri do.

Regardless of Coteri law forbidding a shifter to fraternize with humans, Mathias is so drawn to Mina he cannot help himself and one kiss has him ignite a fire deep inside She in turn is completely taken with him before she finds out about the Coteri and being a half breed herself. Mathias struggles with the budding relationship, knowing that his King would probably kill him for touching his daughter. Ultimately what the pair feel for each other creates fireworks and trouble taking the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotion. When Mina discovers the mystery of her birth she is confused and shaken. Will Mina comes to terms with the fact other races exist and she belongs to one? Will the dominant Mathias succeed in his quest to shelter Mina from the danger that is very much on her tail? Once again.. you're going to have to read to find out.

I loved INFINITE BETRAYAL! The creation of this shifter race by Gayle Donnelly and Robyn Mackenzie has shaken things up. I find myself imagining all the awesome tales to come from these amazing shifters. You feel the passion that Matthias and Mina have for each other, you become part of their world. The secondary characters only add to the drama with hunky shifters Talon and Tre, who pick on each other adding a bit of laughter and the super intelligent Isla who holds the Coteri history and knowledge dear. This story runs the gamut of emotions with the passion and desire to horror and disdain. I cannot wait for the second installment of this series hoping there are plans for several more! I highly recommend INFINITE BETRAYAL to all, it does not disappoint!

Hello maidens! Today we would like to hopefully introduce you to a great paranormal author, J.T. Geissinger. Her NIGHT PROWLER series is not to be missed if you have a thing for shifters. Please help us welcome her to UTC!
﻿Who is J.T. Geissinger? Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a native Angeleno, which is surprisingly rare, and I've lived near the Pacific my entire life. I'm addicted to reading and usually plow through 3-4 books a week, I love movies and junk food and wine, not necessarily in that order. I've been married for a dozen years to my best friend and the love of my life, who I regularly annoy with my tendency to leave all my clothes in whatever spot I happen to have removed them. I'm also an accomplished slob.

Can you please tell us about SHADOW'S EDGE?

Shadow's Edge introduces readers to the Ikati, a tribe of beautiful, savage shape-shifters that live hidden from the everyday world in small colonies across the globe. The first installment is Jenna and Leander's story. Jenna has been raised on the run her entire life. She has some powers she doesn't understand and was always warned by her mother that "If they find you, run." Naturally when Leander appears, offering to answer all her questions about her past, she is curious. But what she finds out shocks her and she is unwittingly drawn into a centuries-old battle between two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy one another.

Where did the idea of the Ikati come from?

It all started with a stray cat. I own a flower shop located very close to a large feral cat colony, and have adopted three strays (so far) that have wandered in, looking for food. (As anyone who’s ever fed a stray cat before knows, once you feed them, they never leave.) So one day an incredibly sleek, beautiful female cat appears out of the blue, demanding a meal. She looks like a miniature panther, all black with bright yellow/green eyes. I fell in love. I named her Angelina (after the equally slinky/beautiful Ms. Jolie) and adopted her.

This cat has an uncanny ability to disappear. One minute she’s there, looking at you as if she’s just about to say something, the next she’s gone—poof!—as if she was never there at all. It must be a feral cat trick, but it got me to thinking.

I’d written a book (never published) about angels and demons and other supernatural creatures, so I thought shape-shifters might be an interesting thing to try next. And what better shape-shifter than one that can disappear into mist? Like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, or Dracula, the original shape-shifter who could turn into mist (and a bat). And because I’m one of those crazy cat ladies who will die alone in a one bedroom apartment with dozens and dozens of cats and has never lived without at least one cat since I was five years old, I put the idea of shape-shifting cats into motion.

Two things occurred to me immediately: one, there are a lot of people who hate cats. Two: the Egyptians revered them. Put those two things together and mix in a big bowl, and you’ve got a race of cat shifters worshipped as gods by the ancient Egyptians who’ve had to hide because they’ve since been hunted by humanity. I spiced it up with some historical nuggets about Egypt, the Inquisition, witch hunts, religion, Rome…it goes on, but you get the idea.

Can you tell us a little bit about Morgan and her journey in EDGE OF OBLIVION?

I love Morgan. She is a character very near and dear to my heart because of her struggle for freedom, to live outside the burden of secrecy her tribe requires. She's a rebel and a fighter, and Edge of Oblivion takes her on a journey of redemption that leads her into the heart of ancient Rome with a hot assassin at her side. If she fails in the task she has set before her, Xander will kill her. But in the meantime, love has a way of mucking up everyone's plans...

How would you describe your writing process?

Painful. The first draft, especially. It's like pulling teeth. After that, editing is simple. I like to write early in the morning because my brain is clearer, and currently I'm writing about 2,000 words per day (about manuscript 8 pages) because I'm on a December 1st deadline for the next book in the Night Prowler saga, Rapture's Edge. It typically takes 4-6 months to finish a book, and that includes several re-writes and edits.

If we were to step into your personal library, which books would we find on your keeper shelf?

Best book I've ever read is called Everything Matters by Ron Currie, Jr. I tend to gravitate toward very bleak literary fiction (such as The Dog Stars, The Road, etc.) or very emotionally draining romance with devastating endings (such as The Notebook.) It has to be dark and it has to be dramatic. I'm not one for light, fluffy fiction. Someone usually has to die for me to enjoy it.

Which paranormal creature is your favorite and why?

I love vampires but they've been beaten to death so I leave them alone. The tropes are all overwritten. Shape-shifters are fantastic because of the possibilities for creativity. If I could be any paranormal creature I'd probably be one of my shape-shifting panthers who can also turn to mist. Many of them have additional powers such as mind control, invisibility, etc. so that's helpful, too!

What was your favorite scene to write from your latest book and can you share it with our readers?

It's an emotional scene and one that gets me every time I read it because the situation is so hopeless for Morgan and Xander. They know there are no happily-ever-afters for people like them.

She kissed him and rocked beneath him and with her hips coaxed his body to where it wanted to go. He began to thrust, a primal motion disconnected from his will, which wanted him to slow, to be gentle—

Morgan moaned her approval beneath him. His hips took over and he thrust harder.

He heard thunder, he heard rain, he heard the metal headboard smacking against the wall, sending repetitive, hollow clanging through the room. He braced a hand against it, gripped Morgan’s hip in his other hand and lifted her up so only her shoulders were on the bed. So deep, so deep, he didn’t think he could go any deeper—

“I’m going to come again,” she breathed. She gripped his arms, meeting every thrust of his hips with one of her own, staring up at him with those searching eyes that carved a hole into his heart. “Come with me. Come with me, Xander.”

Breathing hard, sweat blooming over his entire body, he let go of the headboard and clasped her hips hard in both hands. He plunged into her again and again, wilder and harder, with every thrust losing himself to her and the storm and the magic they made together, here in the succoring dark.

“Amada mio,” he hissed through clenched teeth, teetering on the edge as a wave of heat surged up his spine. Every muscle in his body flexed. “Eu me comprometo a você.”

She stiffened and cried out, her head tipped back into the pillows. His eyes slid closed and he heard a roar, only dimly aware it had come from him. Pleasure, searing white, rocketed through him and he jerked, emptying himself inside her, surging again and again as his orgasm tore his breath and every coherent thought away. For a blinding moment there was nothing but the two of them, joined as one. It spun on and on, dreamlike, and then—

He collapsed on top of her. Shaking. Panting. Wordless. He buried his face into her neck.

Her arms came around his shoulders. She cradled him, murmured soft things into his hair that he could not comprehend, so great was his agony and his bliss. He drifted on a current of gratitude so pure it was almost sweet.

She had let a monster into the most precious part of her, had reminded him of what it was to feel passion and pleasure and tenderness, had given him a glimpse of things he didn’t deserve.

Happiness.

Hope.

He wanted to tell her that, wanted to say you have shown me the way back from hell. But there was a terrible pressure in his chest and a stinging in his eyes and a tightness in his throat that threatened to choke him if he opened his mouth.

“It’s all right,” she murmured, knowing him already too well. “We’re safe from the world now, for a little while. We can have this, it doesn’t have to change anything. We can have our night and go back to who we were tomorrow. Just for tonight, we can have that different life we always wanted.”

He stayed silent, while inside he wept.

In a dark underground cell, Morgan Montgomery waits to die. A member of the Ikati, an ancient tribe of shape-shifters, Morgan stands convicted of treason. And Ikati law clearly spells out her fate: death to all who dare betray.

But there is a glimmer of hope. Thanks to her friendship with Jenna, the new queen of the Ikati, Morgan has one last chance to prove her loyalty. She must discover and infiltrate the headquarters of the Expurgari, the Ikati’s ancient enemy, so they can be destroyed once and for all. The catch? She has only a fortnight to complete her mission and will be accompanied by Xander Luna, the tribe's most feared enforcer. If Morgan fails, her life is forfeit. Because Xander is as lethal as he is loyal, and no one—not even this beautiful, passionate renegade—will distract him from his mission. But as the pair races across Europe into the heart of Italy, the attraction blooming between them becomes undeniable. Suddenly more than justice is at stake: so is love.

Sensual, thrilling, and action-packed, Edge of Oblivion will enthrall readers with nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding passion.

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